Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Sharon City Council delayed action on the issue earlier this month.
FARRELL, Pa. -- City council decided it wasn't ready to vote on the creation of a joint home rule charter drafting committee with Sharon.
The issue was on Monday's council agenda but was pulled at the last minute, City Manager LaVon Saternow said.
Councils for the two cities have been talking about the possibility of consolidating the municipalities into a new entity and had been asked by James DeCapua, executive director of the Mercer County Regional Council of Governments, to appoint a home rule committee.
DeCapua is pursuing the consolidation under a proposed council-manager operation under a home rule form of government. That means a home rule charter must be drafted for voters to consider in any consolidation.
DeCapua had said he hoped the two councils would approve creation of the home rule committee in April so it could complete its work this summer, but Sharon City Council delayed action on the issue earlier this month, saying it wanted to meet with DeCapua to get some additional details of his proposal.
Saternow said Farrell City Council, realizing that Sharon isn't ready to act on the measure, decided to delay its vote as well.
Zone expanded
In other business, council approved a proposal to expand the Shenango Valley Enterprise Zone to include, for the first time, portions of Shenango Township and West Middlesex.
Council also approved expansion of existing zone boundaries within both Hempfield Township and the city of Hermitage.
Existing member municipalities of the enterprise zone as well as the zone's board of directors and the state of Pennsylvania must approve the zone expansions.